Saturday, January 13, 2024

"Information is the resolution of uncertainty." Claude Shannon revised


I have always loved that quote from Claude Shannon. Shannon was the developer of entropy laws of communication which is critical to all phone and information networks. 

Better information should reduce uncertainty, but we can also think of the opposite. Poor information can lead to uncertainty. Misinformation can create uncertainty. Poor interpretation of information can lead to wrong action and results. Information that is revised crates uncertainty. Poorly defined information crates 

Uncertainty can come in many forms based on the type of information that is acquired and used. The problem with information is that more is not always better, and not all information is created equal or of equal value to users. Information is the wrong hands or handled poorly with add uncertainty. Start with the right information and you can solve most problems. Start with the wrong information and you only make matters worse. Deeply think about the inputs (information) before taking any action.

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